The OpenView decoder price is the first thing most people in Gansbaai ask us about, and the next question is usually "what else will I pay?" Fair enough. The box is only one part of the cost, and on our windy stretch of coast the dish and fitting matter just as much.
Quick answer: At the time of writing, the OpenView decoder price is R799 on openview.co.za, with retail specials from around R599. A decoder bundled with a dish and installation voucher sits around R1,699. After that there are no monthly fees. Ask our team for a current quote, because your roof and dish change the total.
Prices move, so treat these figures as a guide. At the time of writing, the current WiFi-enabled OpenView decoder costs R799 when you buy it straight from openview.co.za. Chain stores sometimes run specials from roughly R599.
That money buys the decoder itself. It doesn't include a dish, an LNB, cable or anyone to fit it, and that's where the real budget sits.
No. OpenView is free satellite TV with no subscription and no contract. Once the box is paid for and activated, the ongoing OpenView price is zero. You get 20+ TV channels such as e.tv, eToonz, eMovies and StarLife, plus a range of radio stations. If you want more sport or series later, compare it with our list of DStv packages and prices.
Retailers set their own specials, and those change from week to week. One store might clear stock cheaply while another bundles a dish. So the figure you saw in an advert last month may not be the one on the shelf today.
Our advice is simple. Compare on the day, and check exactly what is in the carton before you pay. A cheap box with no dish isn't cheap if you then have to buy everything else.
The decoder alone won't pick up a thing. OpenView is a satellite service, so you need a dish pointed at the right satellite, an LNB on the arm and coax cable down to the TV. A dish of about 80 to 85cm is the recommended size.
There's good news if you have DStv now or had it before. OpenView broadcasts from the same satellite position as DStv, so an existing dish can often be reused. We still check the LNB and cable, because old fittings on the coast don't always survive the years.
If the dish is there but the picture keeps breaking up, it may only need satellite dish alignment rather than a whole new kit.
The bundled option, a decoder with a dish and an installation voucher, comes to around R1,699 at the time of writing. Next to the R799 box on its own, that suggests roughly R900 of the bundle goes towards the dish and fitting.
When we do an OpenView installation, a standard job usually covers:
| What you buy | Rough cost at the time of writing | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Decoder only, online | R799 | Homes with a working dish already |
| Decoder on a retail special | From around R599 | Buyers who can check stock on the day |
| Decoder with dish and installation voucher | Around R1,699 | First-time setups |
| Local installer quote | Quoted per house | Exposed roofs, long cables, extra TVs |
We give a price before we drive out. Extras such as a longer cable run, a second TV point or a bracket for the TV are listed up front, so nothing pops up on the day.
Need a hand in Gansbaai?
Tell us what you need or what your screen shows. We give you a clear price before we drive out.
Often, yes. Plenty of houses in Gansbaai, Kleinbaai and De Kelders still have a dish left over from an old DStv account. If it's solid and still points the right way, swapping in an OpenView box can be the cheapest route of all.
The catch is rust. Salt spray eats at brackets, bolts and LNB housings, and a corroded connector can kill the signal on a windy night. We've written more about salt air on satellite gear if you want the detail.
Safety first: Please don't climb onto the roof to inspect an old dish yourself, especially when the wind is up. Coastal roofs get slippery with salt and damp. Look from the ground, take a photo and send it to us instead.
Strong wind comes straight off the sea here. A dish on a flimsy bracket will drift out of line after a few storms, and then the picture freezes. That's why we use sturdy mounts and seal every connection.
In Franskraal and Pearly Beach, some homes sit on open ground with nothing to break the wind. Those jobs may need a heavier bracket or a lower, more sheltered spot on a wall. It adds a little to the quote but saves a call-out later.
If your dish has already shifted after bad weather, our post on signs your dish needs realigning will help you spot the symptoms.
For a lot of owners, yes. A holiday house that stands empty for months doesn't need a monthly bill. You pay once, and the TV works when the family arrives in December.
Some guesthouses and self-catering units mix both services. They keep DStv in the main lounge and put OpenView in the extra rooms. We can help plan TV for guesthouses and holiday lets so guests have channels without extra subscriptions.
Technician tip: Before you lock up a holiday home for winter, switch the decoder off at the wall. When you're back, power it up, give it a few minutes and rescan the channels from the menu if anything is missing.
Send us a photo of your roof or old dish and tell us how many TVs you want to run. We'll quote first, then book a time that suits, often the same or next day depending on the schedule. You can reach us on 079 754 5527 or through our contact page.
We also handle full DStv installation in Gansbaai, so if you ever want more channels later, it's the same local team.
Talk to our Gansbaai team
We work across Gansbaai, Kleinbaai, De Kelders, Franskraal, Pearly Beach and nearby. Call or WhatsApp us and we will tell you the practical next step.
At the time of writing, a decoder sold with a dish and installation voucher costs around R1,699. A local installer quotes per house instead, based on your roof, cable length and number of TVs. Ask our team for a current quote before you buy.
No. Stores run their own specials, and prices change from week to week. At the time of writing the decoder is R799 online, with retail deals from around R599. Always check whether the price includes a dish or only the box.
Nothing. OpenView has no subscription and no contract, so once you have bought the decoder and set it up, the channels are free to watch. You only pay again if you add hardware, such as a decoder for another TV.
If a working dish is already aligned, you can usually plug in the decoder and activate it yourself. Fitting and pointing a new dish needs a signal meter and roof work, which is risky in coastal wind. That part is best left to a technician.
No. OpenView belongs to eMedia and is a separate free service with its own decoder. It does use the same satellite position as DStv, which is why an existing DStv dish can often be reused for OpenView.
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